Woman has been living on the streets for three days after the landlord of her Vasai home changed the locks while she was at work
Kavita Iyer
Unable to pay rent amid the lockdown and the consequent financial crisis, a 35-year-old accountant was thrown out of her rented house by the landlord. When the woman was at work on Monday, the house-owner changed the locks of the house.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kavita Iyer's residence is at Gokul Anand society in Vasai West. The woman approached Manikpur police but said she was refused help. For three days, except for the time spent at work, she has been on the road.
Iyer moved into the flat in October 2019 on a monthly rent of R8,000. "Due to the lockdown, my workplace was shut and I was helpless. I informed the landlord that I will pay the entire amount later and that he can also adjust the rent with my R35,000 deposit."
"When I reached home on Monday, the owner demanded rent. Until last month, he deducted the amount from my deposit. I promised to pay next month as my work has resumed. All my documents including PAN card, Aadhaar card, are inside the house. The landlord did not even give me a notice before kicking me out," Iyer said.
What the landlord says
Landlord Arjun Kumbhar told mid-day, "I locked the door because Iyer has not paid rent for four months. I have to repay the loan I took to buy the flat. It has been difficult to repay loans amid the lockdown. I asked Iyer to pay one month's rent and take the keys but she is not ready to pay up so I am not allowing her to stay in the house. I am willing to return her the full deposit but I need the rent."
Also Read: Mumbai: Four-feet long monitor lizard rescued from car bonnet in Vasai
Senior Inspector Rajendra Kamble of Manikpur police station said, "We don't know about the woman but we will help her. We will check her agreement, contact the owner and help her get back home."
Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.
Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news